The son died in a fire: – Accused of murder released

The Romerike and Glåmdal district court had set aside nine days for the murder case against the 63-year-old man, starting on Thursday next week.

However, nothing will come of it, as the man will currently be in India – beyond the reach of the Norwegian authorities.

– The case has been canceled because the defendant is abroad, state prosecutor Jeanette Hegna confirms to Dagbladet.

She says that the prosecutor’s office has tried to serve the murder charge on the man, but that they have not been able to get hold of him.

Denies murder

The indictment against the 63-year-old was brought out last summer. Here he is accused of having killed his own son in connection with a fire in a terraced house on Skedsmokorset on 3 August 2021.

In the indictment, it is stated how the man allegedly gave his son sleeping tablets, then poured flammable liquid into the home and lit it on fire.

The man denies criminal guilt, according to defense attorney Ole-Kristian Ringnes.

– He has explained himself thoroughly and thoroughly in questioning with the police, says Ringnes to Dagbladet.

The defense attorney does not wish to comment on whether he has been in contact with the client after he left Norway, or whether he intends to return to answer the murder charges in court.

Critical to release

Two weeks after the fire in August 2021, the 63-year-old was arrested, charged with violating the arson section of the Criminal Code and remanded in custody.

After being released from custody, the man left Norway, according to the police, to avoid prosecution.

Sidra Bhatti is an assistant lawyer for the deceased’s widow, who herself stays in India. She is critical of the fact that the court – first the Romerike and Glåmdal District Court and then the Borgarting Court of Appeal – decided to release the defendant without imposing an exit ban on him.

– In such a serious case, one should have seen that this situation could have arisen, says Bhatti.

She says that her client is taking it hard that the trial is now cancelled.

– It has been a long process, where she has been waiting for a final clarification. It is a great mental stress for her that she does not get an end to the case, says Bhatti.

Petrol in the car

Earlier in April, a so-called arrest decision was made for the 63-year-old in Romerike and Glåmdal District Court.

In the court ruling, it appears that the man had a return ticket to Norway from India in October last year, but that it was not used.

Furthermore, the court points to several elements which they believe support the police’s suspicion of murder:

• The 63-year-old and his son are said to have been home alone before and during the fire.
• The fire is said to have been started with the help of petrol, and the presumed source of the fire was close to the son’s living room.
• Petrol residues were found in the 63-year-old’s car. However, the car does not use petrol, and the defendant must not own any other implements or machines that do so.
• The deceased had high concentrations of sleeping pills in his blood, and there were no signs that he tried to get out of the burning home.
• The 63-year-old is said to have gone to purchase the sleeping medicine Imovane shortly before the fire.

“The grounds for suspicion are based on a long line of evidence”, concludes the Romerike and Glåmdal District Court.

Unclear about extradition

The accused 63-year-old is now wanted internationally, but it is unclear whether he can be extradited to Norway without his consent.

In addition to being a Norwegian citizen, he possibly also has Indian citizenship, according to public prosecutor Hegna.

In that case, it could make a possible extradition process complicated, as India – like most other countries – does not extradite its own citizens.

– It is unclear whether he is an Indian citizen, but it is something we are investigating now with a view to possible extradition, says Hegna.